Beyond Pinterest.
By Kripa Singh
Planning your wedding décor can be daunting. Despite the plethora of images on Pinterest, it can be overwhelming to select colour palettes, concepts, and the overall aesthetic style for your big day. You will need a blueprint that illustrates what your dream décor looks like. Simply put, you’ll need a décor vision board. By curating and compiling your mini-presentation, you can guide decisions and visually explain your style preference to your wedding designers.
But where exactly should you start? Here’s a simple, five-step process to creating a décor vision board that reflects your personality, style, and dream wedding.
Brainstorm with your Partner
Sit down with your partner and discuss what you both want for your wedding. Think about who you are as a couple, and how your décor can reflect aspects of your personality. To make this easier, you can note down phrases, words, and emotions that you associate with the vibe you’re hoping to achieve.
If you’re hosting a multiple-event Indian wedding, you may not be embarking on this massive undertaking alone. There are likely to be many family members with input. If required, discuss your décor style preference with everyone involved. Having everybody on the same page is important and makes it easier for your décor team to understand your vision.
Consider the Venue
Resist the urge to go on Pinterest and save every image you see. The whole point of curating a décor vision board is to select a few cohesive images that capture what you like and complement your venue. If you save an image of opulent traditional wedding décor in Jodhpur, it may not translate well at your beachside venue. Be sure to consider your location when selecting the overarching aesthetic.
Select the Shades, Hues and Tones
The colours you choose will become your wedding palette, influencing your floral arrangements, draping linens, furniture, and more. The tones and hues will bind all your décor elements together and avoid a clash of colours.
Consider the shades you are wearing for each event and then choose a palette that will ensure that you don’t blend in but instead, complement the décor. Remember to also take into account the existing palette at the venue. For instance, if you are hosting your mehendi lunch at a restaurant, notice the existing colours of the walls, structures, and linens, and then work around this.
Contemplate the Concept
Do you want an overt theme or a more subtle aesthetic? Whatever you choose, it is important to have an overarching concept to tie the décor together. For instance, if you opt for a playful, Cuban-flavoured cocktail night, be sure that all your décor elements convey the theme to your guests. Your floral style, couch cushions, and even table menus should come together to achieve the look you have in mind.
To find your concept, you can go online or offline. Inspiration can come from just about anything. You can expand your search beyond weddings and notice elements in your favourite restaurants, art galleries, and heritage sites.
Take it to Your Décor Team
I’ll repeat – resist the urge to select a bunch of Pinterest images and ask your décor team to copy them. A key part of the process is to take your vision board to your décor designer and then let them curate a unique mood board for you. They may even tell you where your ideas falter and how they can be refined.
The point of the process isn’t just to imitate someone else’s wedding. It’s to find the bits and pieces you like, and together with your décor team, create something beautiful out of that.
Kripa Singh is a wedding decor designer and aesthete with a love for good books, dogs and a cup of tea.
